


What Stark Knew

by misaffection



Category: Farscape
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-04
Updated: 2008-09-04
Packaged: 2017-10-02 20:39:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misaffection/pseuds/misaffection
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>BBB posted on her lj "I still would really like to know what the hell Stark discovered in Meltdown about Crais' relationship with Talyn that Crais would rather slit Stark's throat than anybody find out about..." So I wrote it for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Stark Knew

Crais could not sleep.

After several arns of lying in bed trying, he gave up. He wandered the passageways of Talyn aimlessly, aware of his surroundings more through the connection rather than with his natural senses. Without realising it, he found himself in the pilot's den.

At the entrance, he simply stood and regarded the primitive growth and the tangle of wires. He still did not understand why Talyn had developed the den - the need should have been bred out of him. Clearly genetics were not that simple. He had to wonder what other Leviathan tendencies had also remained.

He walked over and sank into a squat, taking a handful of wires as he recalled the whole incident. The siren sun, Talyn's distraught behaviour, Stark. Crais shook his head; maybe the Council's standing order about ventures in the Uncharted Territories was not such a foolish one.

There was a faint noise behind him. He was stood, pistol in hand, in a microt. Then he relaxed at the sight of Stark. The Banik glanced from him to the den, and then back again.

"Not a knife this time?" he asked stiffly.

Crais snorted and shoved the pistol back into the holster with a little more force than was necessary. "This place is off limits to you," he reminded Stark coldly.

"I remember," Stark replied. "I have not come in."

This was true; he stood just beyond the door. Crais let it pass. "What did you want?"

"I? Nothing. It is not _I _that cannot sleep." The Banik sounded almost amused. "Does something trouble you, _captain_?"

"Nothing that an evacuation couldn't help," he muttered darkly. "Why? Did you plan on offering aid? I believe you have given all the 'aid' necessary, thank you."

He turned back to the wiring, Stark dismissed from his thoughts as he contemplated what to do with the remains of the den. He could get the DRDs to remove all trace, but how would Talyn take that?

After a few microts, Crais realised that Stark was still stood at the door, still watching.

"What?"

"I have not told anyone," the Banik told him. "No one. No one. But I can still feel… feel everything."

"Really?"

"So much sensation. So much information."

"Stark…" Crais began, turned to glare warningly at the man. But there was an odd expression on Stark's face. Wonder and fear meshed together. His one eye was wild. Crais narrowed his eyes. "What do you know?"

"I know… what I do not know."

"Stark!"

"H-how do you stand it? It's too much! Too much!"

Crais sighed and dropped the wires. He walked over to Stark, grabbed the man's arm and dragged him away from the den. "Keep your voice down," he hissed at him. "I do not want the others disturbed."

"Where are you taking me?" gasped Stark. "You cannot hurt me!"

"I have no intention of hurting you as long as you _shut up_." Crais glared at Stark until the Banik calmed down somewhat. "Neither did I have an intention of discussing this in the… den."

"Oh."

They ended up in the galley. Crais made himself a drink - if the Banik wanted a drink then he could do make his own! - and then sat down at the table, with a wave at the opposing chair.

"Right, fine," he sat back in the chair and eyed Stark. "Ask. I will answer as I can."

"The Leviathan project," Stark said immediately. "It was yours."

It wasn't so much a question as a statement. Crais shrugged a shoulder. "I perceived that it would be far more efficient if a Leviathan could obey commands from birth, rather than forcing them into submission via a control collar."

"Efficient." Stark snorts the word as if it is a curse. "Of course."

"It was… not the only reason," Crais admitted then in a low voice. "And Talyn is aware of the others. I want to know how much of that he… shared with you."

"Nothing. Only his feelings on the matter."

Crais swirled the liquid in his cup and debated. No one knew the full details; he changed the technicians too often and the only person that had been there constantly, Larell, had been suitably… distracted. It would be good to tell the whole tale to someone.

"You know that I was Recruited?" he asked Stark. The Banik nodded once. "Ever since that day, I wanted nothing more than to regain my freedom. But the more I learnt, the harder I knew it would be. Ranked officers are not permitted just to… disappear." He downed a mouthful of drink. "So I waited. Then I witnessed the attempted capture of a Leviathan. It was young and escaped the control collar. Before anyone could stop it, it had Starburst. There was nothing anyone could do - the Peacekeepers did not have a ship that could match the speed, never mind better it.

"But Leviathans are peaceful vessels, with little ability to defend themselves. And I thought that if it was possible to merge a Leviathan ship and Peacekeeper technology…"

"And you came up with the hybrid idea," Stark guessed.

"Just an idea," Crais shrugged. "It was cycles in testing. But I requested the Council that if was possible, the hybrid I mean, that I be in charge of the project."

Stark looked surprised. "So you were building an escape clause."

Crais nodded. "Indeed."

The Banik got up and went to the server counter. He poured out a good measure of the brandy and then rejoined Crais. He held the cup up in a silent salute.

"So," he said after a sip. "To all intents and purposes, you are Talyn's father."

"If you wish. I had not considered it like that."

"Not even when it is your DNA in his system?"

Crais shrugged again. "Mine and that of several others; all superior pilots and warriors. It is not exactly how you make it sound."

Stark giggled. "No."

"No."

"But you are bonded beyond that transponder. I felt it. I felt you."

"Shut up," Crais growled. "I do not wish to discuss this."

"Who are you, Crais? Or more pertinent, what? I can see you. I can see Talyn. But when I was joined-"

Crais slammed his cup down, sending brandy everywhere. "I do not wish to discuss it!" he yelled, but the Banik seemed unrepentant.

"'Of one mind'," Stark murmured. "That is exactly how it is, isn't it?"

For a microt, Crais glared at the other man. Then he sagged and a defeated sigh escaped him. "Yes." He gave Stark a pleading look. "Do not tell the others - they must not know. Especially… Aeryn."

Stark looked surprised. "But she joined Talyn! She took a transponder and she does not know?"

"We hid the level of our relationship from her," Crais said quietly. "Not the result, because I would not hide that given the decision she was making. But the rest of it… she did not need to know."

"I know that his psyche…" Stark stopped. "You are risking much."

"Not as much as you did," Crais replied and sat up again. He drained his brandy. "He could have burnt out your mind." He smirked slightly. "What there is of it."

Stark shook his head. "They ought to know. They could help."

"I don't need nor want help. I made my decision over a cycle ago and it has not changed."

"What will you do?" The question was soft, gentle.

"I shall carry on," Crais said. He levelled a steady gaze at the Banik. "What else can I do? Maybe we can find something that will separate us again, allow us to remain joined but individual. Maybe not. For the most part, it is not a problem."

"Until it becomes one," Stark predicted darkly. "You forget that I know everything."

Crais shook his head. "You know nothing," he said again. "You were joined for a couple of arns, when Talyn was confused and you were… You were overwhelmed. And I will hear no more about this."

With that, he shoved the chair backwards and stalked from the galley.

Stark looked down at the brandy and then allowed his gaze to travel the supports of Talyn's bulkhead. The damage that had been done was not visible, but it was there nonetheless. He could sense Talyn's pain, his ever-more confused thoughts. He could sense Crais reaching out to his ship and trying to fill the gaps.

And he knew he was failing.


End file.
